Sushi Otowa

At Otowa, you can try different types of “Kamigata” style sushi. If you are familiar with the history of sushi, you may know that it all started when people wanted to find a way to preserve food hundreds of years ago before the invention of refrigerators. Kamigata style sushi was eaten by people of Japan before Nigiri sushi which is more common today. Mushi Sushi, or steamed sushi, is available during colder weather attracting people to this sushi restaurant for this warm and savory dish.
Since 1902, Otowa have been serving sushi to the people of Kyoto. You will notice its history from the setting of the restaurant inside to their friendly family oriented service.

“Hako,” meaning box in Japanese, is sushi that is pressed in a box with layers of sushi rice and cooked fish. The type of fish depends on what is in season. The flavors are pungent that no soy sauce are needed. The side of ginger have the right amount of vinegar flavor that refreshes the pallet during the meal.

2Recommended

Akadashi - Red Miso Soup/ ￥380

A great complement to any sushi is a side of soup. The red miso soup matches well with the pungent flavor of Hako Sushi balancing everything together creating a flavorful balance.

3Let's Try!

Mushi Sushi/ ￥1,400

Available from October to May or April every year, Otowa offers one of their well-known dishes, “Mushi Sushi”. You may identify the wooden box in front of the restaurant with steams coming out of it. Inside the box are bowls of Mushi Sushi being steamed inside. The bowl is topped with fluffy eggs, green peas, and pickled ginger. Vinegary sushi rice is combined with teriyaki eel.

4Let's Try!

Chawan-Mushi/ ￥580

Chawan Mushi is a steamed dish made out of eggs and broth along with mushroom and vegetables. The Chawan Mushi from Otowa has pieces of fish inside identifying itself differently from Chawan Mushi from other places.

How to Order

- Order Tips -

When you order Mushi Sushi, pronounce it like, “Mushi-zushi”.

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Price

Overseas Tourist-Friendly

Ami

3.2food3.0service3.0atmosphere3.5

This sushi place is closed knitted and family operated. It's a great places to have "kamigata" sushi, something different from the common sushi eaten abroad. The owner is really friendly and I enjoyed eating sushi made by the chefs here.

Yoko

3.3food3.5service3.0atmosphere3.5

In a really cold winter day, the steamed display of the box outside is very appealing to see. The staff inside are very lovely, and the meals they provide were very warming. It's a place I can go for any occasion with friends or by myself. The menu changes seasonally so I would like to go back many times throughout the year.